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Bridgewater Review

Volume 16 | Issue 2 Article 5

Dec-1997 Life in the Slow Lane: The Old Order Amish Cultural of Lancaster County, Glenn Miller Bridgewater State College

Recommended Citation Miller, Glenn (1997). Life in the Slow Lane: The Old Order Amish Cultural Landscape of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Bridgewater Review, 16(2), 3-6. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol16/iss2/5

This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. ______L...- _

almost all drawn from The : Moses, the dropped. At the time of John, Abraham, Aaron, Issac, Peter, Ruth, their the Amish and Mennonites Rebecca, Sarah, and Rachel. appeared identical, and held to the same Biblical . The Amish practice ofshun­ Basically, the Amish today live simi­ ning those excommunicated from the lar to the way their ancestors did almost Church created the main point of conten­ three hundred years ago. They use horse­ tion. Other minor issues also contributed LIFEIN'THE drawn transportation and do not hook up to a decision to part ways with the Men­ to electricity. They live a fairly simple life, nonites. SLOW LANE: and are sometimes referred to as "the ." There are about 100,000 Amish Most of the Amish beliefs are taken The Old Order in the world today. Their largest settle­ from literal interpretations of The Bible. Amish Cultural ment is in Holmes County, , in the In particular, from the book of Leviticus, east central part of the state. The second tells his people: "be ye separate." And Landscape of largest Amish settlement is the oldest and so, the Amish are separate: in their lan­ best known, that of Lancaster County, guage, dress, transportation, and many Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Other Amish settlements other aspects of their . They do are found in over twenty U.S. states, live a lifestyle that is distinctively differ­ Pennsylvania Canada, and several countries in Central ent from their non-Amish neighbors who America and South America. The author live in the same region. Most Amish are extremely devout Glenn Miller individuals. The Amish attempt to AMISH ORIGINS follow New Testa­ ment standards for he Old Order Amish living. They teach are a religious the entire Bible and T that grew out of the Menno­ believe that the New nite Church which originated in Ger­ Testament is the many in 1525, in the early years of fulfillment of the the Protestant . Due to Old Testament. The by the Amish is Prussians, the Amish migrated from similar to the Jew­ Germany's Rhineland to settle in ish religion in that 's colony of Pennsylva­ it can be broken nia in the early 1700s. The Amish down into Ultra Or­ people are often called "Dutch," thodox, Orthodox, which is a corruption of the German Conservative, and Reformed sub- word Deutsch. The Amish, there­ Amish Buggy fore, are of German descent, and not groups. The Old from the Netherlands. But despite the oc­ Order Amish of casional problem in identifying the eth­ was raised in Lancaster County, and its Lancaster County, the focus of this essay, nic background of the Amish, they never­ Amish community and landscape are the represent the ultra orthodox, or the strict­ theless have become part ofAmerica's plu­ primary focus of this essay. est way of life. ralistic society. AMISH BELIEFS The Amish live in geographically de­ The Amish closely intermarry and lineated church districts, with about usually live in tight-knit communities to The separation between the Amish thirty-five families per district. There are offer each other support and to minimize Church and the Mennonite Church took no separate church structures, as they from the modemworld. Be­ place in 1693. Although their actions are gather every two weeks in the home of a cause of the close intermarriage, they have referred to as a "breakaway," it might be district member. The service starts around only a few surnames, with Stoltzfus, King, equally correct to say that the Amish 8:00 AM and continues until about noon­ Fisher, Glick, Esh, Lapp, and Beiler being Church began as a result of a strong con­ time. Men and women sit separately on the most common. The first names are viction to continue some practices which backless benches arranged in rows. The

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Amish believe in clearly defined gender when a disaster strikes, even beyond the sion of vocational school in their one­ roles, in all aspects of life. borders ofLancaster County and the State room school houses. Teachers are usu­ of Pennsylvania. ally young women, often with only an The service begins with the singing eighth-grade education themselves. Stu­ ofhymns from an old German hymnbook, THE AMISH LIFESTYLE dents may spend all eight years in the theAusbund. There are no musical scores, & CULTURE same single school room, with the same and the congregation sings in unison, un­ teacher. The older students often help the accompanied, which resembles a Being farmers in the early 1900s teacher instruct the younger pupils, many Gregorian chant. Following the singing meant that Amish families in rural of whom are their siblings and cousins. there is a short sermon, silent , and Lancaster County usually sent their chil­ Scripture readings in High German. The dren to public one-room school houses, The Old Order Amish have retained main sermon follows which lasts about an along with non-Amish, or "English" chil­ the st~ict way oflife, which includes wear­ hour, and is given in , dren. As school-size increased in the post­ ing a plain garb. Women wear long dresses which is more correctly defined as Penn­ World War II era, the Amish felt that too of solid-colored material, black hose and sylvania German, which is a combination much acculturation took place between shoes, a prayer veiling of white organdy of German and English. After them and the non-Amish. Therefore, in material, and a black over the ­ the main sermon other ing when outer protection is ordained men give their appropriate. The men wear own comments and the solid-colored shirts, dark service ends with a button-down fly trousers, lengthy prayer from an and black felt or straw broad­ Amish prayer book. The brimmed hats, depending service rarely varies from on the season. Hooks and this format. Amish min­ eyes replace buttons on isters are chosen by lot Amish suitcoats and vests to from the adult male commemorate their perse­ members, and Acts 1:15­ cution by the Prussians in 26 is the basis for this the 16200s, who were then practice. No special edu­ noted for their brass buttons cation is thought neces­ on their military uniforms. sary for the ministry. The children dress The Amish believe in much the same as the taking care of their own. adults. Most Amish cloth­ While paying taxes, ing is designed and sewn by Amish One Room School House Amish farmers secure an Amish women. Dress be­ exemption from paying comes a visible symbol social security if they are self-employed. 1972, theAmish pulled their children from which strengthens group loyalty. One can Grown children take care of their elderly the public schools. Some ofthe previously never forget his or her Amish identity parents in their homes, as it is extremely abandoned one-room school houses were while wearing the distinctive clothing. rare for an Amish person to reside in a con­ re-opened, and several new ones were valescent home. They seldom receive So­ built. Amish education basically means Historically, the Amish have been an cial Security benefits or Medicare. Amish emphasizing "the three R's," which are agricultural people. They still attach great do not take out , except for farm reading, writing, and arithmetic. Children importance to working the soil and re­ liability, in case one of their animals causes only complete eight years of education, maining close to nature. The average an accident. They believe that when a which the parents feel quite adequately Amish farm size in Lancaster County is a tragedy occurs it is an act of God. How­ prepares them for life as they know it. As relatively small 60 acres. In spite of what ever, when tragedy does strike an Amish a result ofa Pennsylvania Supreme Court may seem to outsiders as archaic meth­ family, for example in the form of fire or decision which allows them to "dropout" ods, theAmish are generally quite success­ long-term medical disability, the Amish early, the Amish meet the requirements ful commercial farmers, and usually find community will help with the necessary of until the age of it more economical to specialize in their labor and share the costs through the sixteen by receiving agricultural and do­ production. Lancaster County is the lead­ Amish Aid Society. The Amish people will mestic training at home. They also at­ ing non-irrigated agricultural county in often come to the aid of non-Amish, too, tend a three-hour Saturday morning ses- the United States, in terms of the dollar

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of the produce, and is nicknamed Weddings are all-day occasions, and triggered a major tourist boom in "the Garden Spot." The main crops grown up to 300 guests may arrive at the bride's Lancaster County. Since then, Lancaster in Lancaster County include com (for live­ home around 8:30 AM on the wedding County has become one of the leading stock feed), wheat, tobacco, alfalfa, clover, day. As with their church services, the tourist attractions in the United States, barley, rye, soybeans, and various grasses men and women sit separately on backless with over 3,000,000 visitors per year. The for . Itshould be noted thatAmish benches. The wedding ceremony consists Amish themselves do not operate any of men may smoke cigars, yet cigarettes are of hymn singing, Scripture readings, short the tourist attractions, yet they sometimes avoided totally. The growing of cigarette sermons, the main sermon, and the wed­ benefit financially from tourism by sell­ tobacco as a commercial crop by the ding vows. Ahuge noon meal follows the ing produce and handicrafts at stalls out­ Amish farmers, while not being users of ceremony. In the afternoon the people sit side their homes to tourists passing by. the product, remains a paradox. around tables and sing. Guests stay and When the movie "Witness" was released have another large meal at supper, and in the early 1980s, featuring the box of­ In recent years, economics, large fam­ continue to visit and'sing until after 11 :00 fice star Harrison Ford, many of the Amish ily size, and a lack of available farm land PM. Guests do not take gifts to the wed­ feared a second wave of tourism would have pushed many of the Amish into other ding, but give them to the couple when strike the region. Tourism was up signifi­ occupations. Today, they frequently work the newlyweds visit in their homes in the cantly the following year, but some of the as carpenters, painters, increase was probably and masons. Many also due to an increase in ter­ work for lumber com­ rorist acts in Europe. panies and feed mills, Tourism in the "Amish or operate "cottage in­ Country" has continued dustries" out of their unabated. homes. The growth of The Amish often tum employment in non­ their backs to a tourist's farming occupations camera. They take no has brought the Amish pictures themselves and into greater contact usually do not appreci­ than ever before with ate anyone photograph­ the non-Amish popula­ ing them. As with many tion. This is of great of their practices, they concern to many base their objection to Amish elders, as they photographs on biblical worry about continued Scripture. Specifically, acculturation. the Second Command­ ment handed down The Amish tend to from God to Moses get married at an early Amish Farm states: age, often in their late "Thou shalt not make teens and early twenties. Amish weddings weeks following the wedding. Gifts are unto thee any graven image, or any like­ are all-day celebrations, held on Tuesdays always simple and practical items. Mar­ ness of any thing that is in heaven above, and Thursdays in October and November. riage vows are taken very seriously by the or that is in the earth beneath, or that is The reasons for these specific times have Amish. Divorce is extremely rare among in the water under the earth." (Exodus to do with their traditional agricultural the Amish, and would result in the excom­ 20:4) lifestyle. Weddings involve their extended munication of the member. family members and most of the Amish The Amish's reaction to tourism var­ in their local community. Therefore, wed­ IMPACTS OF TOURISM ies, as do the tourists' reaction to the dings have to be held after the harvest sea­ ON THE AMISH IN Amish. Many tourists respect the Amish son, and before the holy sea­ LANCASTER COUNTY and do not intentionally cause offense. son. Since many of the Amish earned their Most who are fortunate enough to become living by taking their produce to the local For the first half of the Twentieth Cen­ acquainted with Amish people genuinely farmers' markets, certain days of the week tury the Amish basically kept to them­ like them and find them to be, indeed, were set aside for weddings at times when selves, and no one seemed to both them. "real people." Not surprisingly, the Amish the farmers' markets were closed. However, a 1950s Broadway play entitled appear to discipline themselves and obvi­ "Plain and Fancy" that depicted Amish life ously take the tourism better than many

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Lancaster County Place Names non-Amish residents of the region. Most THE FUTURE OF Another great fear is that increased learn to ignore or endure the insults and THE AMISH exposure to local non-Amish residents the stares, unlike the scene from Witness and tourists that come from many states in which Harrison Ford, dressed as an Will the Amish people and their cul­ and countries will have a negative in­ Amishman, attacked his tormentors. ture survive the impacts of tourism and fluence on the Amish lifestyle and modem-day society? Some feel that tour­ threaten the continuance of their strict Non-Amish who live in the Lancaster ism will "kill the goose that laid the golden religious beliefs, especially among their County tourist region are often frustrated egg." Unlike Colonial Williamsburg in Vir­ young. In spite of the relatively strict when driving because of the long lines of ginia, which is a restoration, and Old lifestyle in which they are raised, Amish slow-moving, mostly out-of-state . Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts, youth usually choose to remain in the Many locals empathize with their Amish which is a reproduction, the Lancaster Amish faith. A small percentage will neighbors and feel that tourism often un­ County Amish live in an authentic land­ leave to join less "plain" churches. How­ fairly exploits them. However, another fac­ scape which transports us all into the liv­ ever, a strong and stable family unit and tion of the local population welcomes the ing past in modem times. Although it has church loyalty will keep most Amish tourist dollars with open arms while op­ been found that tourism does not directly members within the fold, probably for erating the various tourist attractions, force the Amish out of the region, the tour­ generations to come. ~ motels, and restaurants. ism industry has driven up the cost of farmland which has indirectly caused many of the Amish to seek cheaper farm­ land elsewhere, away from the areas eas­ ily accessed by tourists.

Glenn Miller is Professor of Earth Sciences and 6